Guard
by Mayushii
Summary: Hiei did everything that Kurama asked of him as a guardian, and he had learned it was a truly thankless task—it was like being mated but with none of the benefits. Hiei's POV, postseries. YAOI, Hiei/Kurama, hermaphroditism, angst, humor, lemons.
1. Guard Pt 1

Guard

by Mayushii

All copyright materials are property of their respective owners.

A/N: YAOI, HxK. Hiei did everything that Kurama asked of him as a guardian, and he had learned it was a truly thankless task—it was like being mated, but with none of the benefits. Contains hermaphroditism, lemon, angst and possibly humor (depending on how sadistic you are).

* * *

Part 1

Cold steel flashed in the fading sun—one, two, ten, twenty strokes. Each one blocked and parried. Useless.

Hiei stopped a downward strike with his katana and sent a fierce glare up at his opponent. It had been a sunny afternoon when he had found the brown youko prowling through the forest. Now it was nearly sunset, snowing heavily, and the scenic trees had turned into a mess of slush and singed bark. Hours had passed and Hiei hadn't landed a single hit on the fox youkai.

"This is a waste of time, Jaganshi," the youko said as he bore down on Hiei. "Why not make this easier on yourself and step aside?"

Hiei snorted and threw off the youko's blade. "Not a bad idea, but I have a better one. You turn back now and forget you ever came here."

"This is absurd!" the youko said exasperatedly as he blocked each lightning-fast strike. "This is a matter between foxes, not something that involves you."

"Like hell it doesn't!" Hiei snarled.

The youko raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So then, do you fancy yourself my rival?"

The question startled Hiei just enough to give the youko the upper hand. Hiei cried out as pain sliced into his shoulder, sending an arc of blood through the air._ Shit!_

Abandoning the fight for a moment, Hiei quickly leapt into the trees. He crouched down on a branch near the trunk, trusting the driving snow and the encroaching shadows to hide him. The youko's mocking laughter could be heard even over the harsh wind.

"Where did you go, little Jaganshi? Lost your nerve?"

_Fool. Do you think I'm going to give away my position over some childish insult? _Hiei pushed the youko's taunts from his mind. Focusing instead on his wound, he tugged his tattered black cloak down past his shoulder. He was losing a lot of blood. _Damn it…_

Clamping one hand over the wound to slow the bleeding, Hiei glared down at his opponent. He was a handsome one, Hiei would give him that much. The youko was tall and lean, with a lustrous brown mane that fell to the backs of his knees. His eyes were a crystalline blue that would make any female's heart flutter, and most importantly, he had a fox's straight brown tail and black-tipped ears. Try as he might, Hiei couldn't help thinking that the youko had more right to be here than he did.

"You would be wise to give up now, Jaganshi," the youko taunted. He slowly stalked across the clearing, scanning the trees, trying to see through the blinding snow. "You're torturing her, you know that? Keeping her from what she needs. I can picture her now, locked up in your little den. All hot and wet, wanting it so badly…but you won't let anyone touch her. Selfish bastard." The youko's eyes glittered aggressively. "If you aren't demon enough to take her yourself, step aside so someone else can."

Hiei gritted his teeth. Forget running away and licking his wounds. He would finish this fight.

Leaping from his branch, Hiei dove toward the ground. The youko spun in time to block the blow from the sword, but Hiei swung his body with the ease of an acrobat, slamming both feet into his enemy's chest in quick succession. The brown fox stumbled back, winded, and Hiei finally found his opening.

A flash of light, a spray of blood. Hiei landed in a crouch amid red-speckled snow, his katana gleaming and the frayed hem of his cloak trailing the ground.

The clearing was silent for a long moment. Then, slowly, the youko fell, his body landing on the forest floor with a quiet crunch of snow. Red seeped out from the fresh corpse and formed a puddle beneath it. Hiei watched with a disdainful frown as snow began to powder the youko's cooling flesh.

"I am protecting him," Hiei said firmly. "That is what he needs, and that is what I have promised to do."

Still, as Hiei clumsily wiped and sheathed his sword with one hand, he had to consider the youko's last words. It was true that Hiei was doing what was required of him, but…Kurama was in pain. Perhaps this really was futile…

Nonsense. That youko was no different from the others who had come to take Kurama away! He had only said those things to make Hiei lose his focus. Growling, the young Jaganshi clutched his wounded shoulder and started in the direction of the den. He had best get his wounds treated. After all, he would make a very poor guard if he had only one arm.

x x x

Tree branches were Hiei's favorite shelter. He had learned as a cub that he could escape larger youkai by taking to the trees, and even now he slept in them because he felt safer there than he did on the ground. But he had to admit that a subterranean den was convenient. It was an old badger sett Kurama had used as a hideaway before he went to the human world, and it was surrounded by a large thicket of raspberry brambles—a good defense against predators as well as a source of food in the summer.

By the time Hiei reached the door set into the side of the hill, his eyes were starting to lose focus. He had to make three attempts before he got a grip on the doorknob, and he stumbled over his own feet and a bit of the rug as he entered the den.

_Shit, I'm losing too much blood… _He could feel it slipping down his chest now. He groaned and parted the front of his cloak, loosening his scarf in hopes of using it to sop up the mess.

"K… Kurama!" Hiei tried to yell, but his voice was too weak for it. "Kurama, where are you?"

A minute passed before the lampweeds that lit the room suddenly flickered, rather like the lights in a human house would when the snow weighed too heavily on the power lines. A door banged somewhere down the hall, and Hiei steeled himself as he heard stomping footsteps. Kurama stormed in a moment later, his bathrobe askew and his long hair pulled up in a messy bun.

"What do you want now, Hiei? I was just about to take a bath! Where the hell have you been, anyway? It's bad enough that I have to stay here day in and day out, but then—"

The silver youko stopped dead in his tracks when he caught sight of Hiei near the doorway. His eyes widened, and his ears went flat against his head as he looked from Hiei's ashen face to the bloodsoaked scarf clutched to his shoulder.

"You're hurt."

"Am I? I hadn't noticed," Hiei said, too tired to snap. Kurama was in front of him in an instant, prying his hand from his shoulder and examining the wound.

"It's pretty deep," Kurama said. His hard eyes softened slightly. "Is it painful?"

"Not as much as it was," Hiei muttered. "Could you heal it?"

Kurama blinked slowly. "Naturally. But I need to get some things. Take off your cloak and go sit—and keep pressure on the wound."

And then the youko swept away. Hiei shook his head at his friend's retreating back. _At least he's not yelling at me now. Maybe I should make a habit of coming home wounded. _Suppressing a dry smile, Hiei tossed his cloak and scarf by the door and settled down in the chair in front of the fireplace. Kurama came back not a minute later with a medical kit and a bowl of steaming water.

"How did it happen?" Kurama asked, kneeling in front of Hiei and setting the supplies down.

"Found another youko sneaking up on us. He's dead now."

"I see…" Though Kurama's expression betrayed no worry, his face was a bit paler than usual. He took up the cloth that lay in the bowl and wrung out the water. "Try to hold still."

Hiei clenched his teeth together, preparing himself for the pain. When he nodded permission to go ahead, Kurama pressed the cloth to his shoulder and started cleaning up the blood. Hiei watched him work, his thoughts wandering to the circumstances that had brought them to the den.

x x x

It had started with cramps. One day, Kurama had begun to feel them in his lower abdomen. He had dismissed it as a digestive problem and changed his diet, but when he woke up a week ago with blood in his trousers he realized that the situation was much more serious. Kurama went to Hiei, who in turn escorted the ailing fox to a youko doctor named Sonomi. She brought them both in her office, listened to Kurama's symptoms, and finally asked how old he was.

"I should be nearing my four hundredth," Kurama answered. Sonomi shook her head, a knowing smile on her face.

"You're getting worked up over nothing," the older youko chided. "What you're experiencing is completely normal."

"No it isn't!" Kurama insisted. "People do not bleed unless there is something seriously wrong!"

"Really? You can't think of any other instance when a person might bleed?" Sonomi saw Kurama's blank stare and seemed to be at a loss, as if she thought he was being a bit dense. "The cramps and the blood are both signs that your body is preparing for ovulation."

"Wait," Hiei said as Kurama went very still. "You mean to say he…?"

"To put it in simple terms, Kurama is going into heat."

Hiei blinked and dropped his jaw dumbly, stunned by this news. He closed his mouth and glanced at Kurama to see his reaction. Evidently Kurama thought he had misheard, because he asked Sonomi to repeat what she had said. When she did, and he heard the same thing, his expression turned to disbelief.

"T… There must be some mistake. I'm male. Males don't go into heat." Kurama stared at Sonomi with a strange look in his eyes, as if he rather thought a doctor should know these things.

"Ah, now there's the thing. Technically you aren't male. Youko are a perfect species—hermaphrodites. Some distinguish themselves as male or female based on whether or not they bear cubs, but really there is no difference," Sonomi explained. "As for why you are going into heat, it was most likely triggered by pheromones. Have you been around a pregnant female or cubs?" Sonomi glanced at Hiei slyly. "If not, perhaps your mate has been particularly tender in bed? Orgasm is another common trigger."

Kurama shook his head, looking confused and very embarrassed. But then Hiei remembered something.

"Hold on. Yusuke's woman had a cub recently, didn't she?"

"Oh—yes, Keiko had a baby a month ago. She asked me to sit a few times." Kurama bit his lip nervously. "But surely humans wouldn't…?"

"Humans have pheromones just like any other animal," Sonomi said. "And if a youko senses a pregnant female's pheromones, it sends her body the message that it's a good time for her to get pregnant as well. That is why you have started to ovulate."

Kurama looked down at his knees with some distress.

"I… I see," he said quietly. Then he hissed and curled in on himself, clutching at his stomach. "Ahhh—!"

Sonomi's eyes took on a motherly softness. She tucked Kurama's hair behind his ears and smoothed back the soft, strawberry-pink strands.

"Poor thing," Sonomi murmured. "The cramps are always worst the first time around. I remember my first heat, it was dreadful… But don't worry, the pain will pass once everything is in working order. Another week or so, and then you'll have the best chance of pregnancy."

Kurama glanced up, the pain in his eyes now tinged with alarm. "W-why would I want to get pregnant?"

"Why wouldn't you want to?" Sonomi flicked one of her ears back, glancing at Hiei with a confused frown on her face. "At your age most youko are more than ready to start having some cubs."

"Cubs! I can't have cubs!" Kurama cried. "I don't want to be a father!"

"Mother," Sonomi said patiently. "The one who bears child is female by definition, so it would make more sense if you started referring to yourself as such."

Kurama looked as if he'd been struck. Hiei doubted if anyone had ever spoken to him that way before—like he was a child who didn't know what he was talking about…or more correctly, like he was a woman letting her hormones run rampant.

"Now, for my prescription." Sonomi's voice took a businesslike air. "Some nice tea and heating pads will help with the cramps. I'm afraid you'll have to wait the bleeding out, but your fluids should be running clear in a week or so. Until they do, I'd suggest you use pads so that you don't stain your clothes. The cloth ones would be best, they're comfortable and reusable. You can get some right here at the clinic, and they come in lovely patterns, I'm sure you would like them."

Kurama took one look at Hiei's too-blank face and burst into horrified tears. Sonomi watched as he ran from the office and then shook her head in exasperation.

"Goodness, the hormones are doing a number on that one…"

"Tell me something I don't know," Hiei grumbled. Sonomi smiled.

"Don't worry. Her cramps will ease up about the same time she starts running clear, and then she'll be in a much better mood. In fact, you probably won't be able to keep her off you. Don't feel bad if you can't keep up with her, it's pretty much impossible even for a virile youkai like yourself. You might consider getting her some toys."

"…And why exactly are you telling me this?" Hiei asked.

"Well, you are Kurama's mate, aren't you?"

"No. He has none."

Sonomi paled. "But… Ohhh, this is bad."

"How so? He likes his freedom, and he would hate being tied down to a mate."

"You don't understand! If she doesn't have a mate, she could really get hurt!" Sonomi saw the sudden sharpness of Hiei's eyes and explained. "If we stayed at full power during our heat, we would tear our mates apart just because we're too frustrated. A youko's power has to go dormant during heat, and even the weakest youkai could take advantage of that."

Hiei looked away, uncomfortable. He had sensed Kurama's youki turning inward and hoped it was just his imagination, but now Sonomi had confirmed his suspicions. Kurama wouldn't stand a chance if left on his own.

"What should I do?" he asked.

"Mate her," Sonomi said immediately. "Find a den somewhere, get her comfortable, and—"

"Out of the question," Hiei said flatly. "Any other options?"

"You…could act as her guardian," Sonomi said, sounding very doubtful. "Protect her without mating her, like a father or brother. But I wouldn't advise it—she likely won't thank you for your efforts, and there is little benefit in protecting something that isn't really yours."

"He's my closest ally and confidant, that's good enough."

"All right, suit yourself," Sonomi shrugged. "But I'd take a few precautions if I were you… And make sure she goes natural until she's running clear. That human body isn't going to hold up very well."

x x x

And so, after enduring a long and cringe-inducing talk about what to expect in the next week, Hiei had left Sonomi's office with a bag of items he would have burned on the spot if he weren't so sordidly fascinated by them. He had requested time off from Mukuro's patrol, and Kurama had taken sick leave from his work in the human world, and they both had moved into the little den.

The past week had been nothing short of a nightmare. It was Hiei's duty to protect Kurama from other youkai, but it also fell to Hiei to treat the symptoms of the heat. Kurama complained of cramps, so Hiei brewed herbal teas to ease the ache. Kurama had lost much of his appetite, so Hiei tempted him with his favorite foods to keep him from starving himself. Kurama was moody, so Hiei learned to hold his tongue and wait out the temper tantrums. Hiei did everything that was asked of him as a guardian, and he had learned it was a truly thankless task—it was like being mated, but with none of the benefits.

And worst of all… Despite all his efforts, Kurama suffered. It made Hiei feel useless, like all of his work was in vain.

_But there is something I can do to help. If I can just convince him._

Hiei cleared his throat, his face heating up against his will. This wasn't the sort of conversation he had ever envisioned having with his best friend, but it needed to be done. And he was hardly a virgin, he had no reason to be uncomfortable talking about…it. _Sex, _he thought to himself stubbornly. _Sex sex sex sex sex. There, it's not so difficult. It's just a word. Now talk to him._

"Kurama," Hiei said with a little too much purpose.

"Listen, I know it hurts, but this is the best I can do," Kurama said tersely.

"What? No—" Damn, he hadn't even started yet and he'd already messed up! "It's all right, it doesn't hurt that much. You're doing well."

Kurama blinked, eyes widening slightly. Hiei thought he saw something in his expression change. Before he could attempt to figure out what that look meant, the youko had returned his attention to the wound and resumed cleaning it.

"…Thank you," Kurama said quietly.

Hiei peered at him for a moment, trying to determine his mood. He didn't seem to be as hostile as he had been in the past week. On the contrary, the wary tension in Kurama's body had disappeared, and his whole being radiated a sort of quiet acceptance of Hiei's presence. This was the time to speak—now, when Kurama was at ease and possibly open to suggestion.

"Fox." An ear flicked forward to show Kurama was listening. "That youko I told you about. He had four tails."

"Over three hundred years old," Kurama murmured. "He must have been very strong, or else very clever."

"Yes. He was both, actually. Handsome as well, in his kitsunemimi form," Hiei said, smothering any resentment he might have felt because the youkai he was talking about was, after all, dead. "Nice coloration, symmetrical body. I'm not an expert on youko, but he seemed very well-bred."

"Hiei," Kurama said, ears drawing back uneasily, "what are you…?"

"And he said something that made me think. He said I was keeping you from what you need." Hiei took a deep breath and looked at his friend, meeting his eyes. "Kurama. Don't you think you would be happier if you were with a mate?"

Kurama almost dropped the cloth.

"_What?_"

"I know when Sonomi first talked about it you said you didn't want one," Hiei said quickly, "but if I found a good mate for you, one who would take care of you, then maybe—"

"Hiei," Kurama interrupted, his voice cold enough that Hiei almost shivered. "I'm not interested in letting some stranger fuck me in holes that I didn't even know I had a month ago."

"Why do you make it sound like that?" Hiei shot back. "It's not some horrible indignity, it's just sex. Females go into heat all the time."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not a woman!" Kurama snapped.

_Then why don't you stop acting like one! _Hiei wanted to yell. Thankfully, he had learned some patience over the past week and managed to keep his mouth shut. "I know you aren't. But you can't deny that you have certain needs."

"It is an instinct, not a need. Do not mistake them. So maybe my body is pushing me to find a mate—if I were to follow that instinct, what then? I would be stuck bearing his young." Kurama returned the cloth to the bowl and sent a cool look at Hiei. "I have no intention of wasting my life raising cubs."

"First of all, raising cubs is not a waste. It's…" Hiei flushed uncomfortably, not wanting to admit that he had given the subject thought. In truth, he was at the age when a normal fire youkai would be going wild on every female in his territory, but his ice maiden blood helped him control his baser instincts. "There is nothing wrong with having cubs."

"So says a youkai who doesn't face the possibility," Kurama scoffed.

"Oh, and I suppose Shiori wasted her life raising you?"

"In point of fact. Human children are pretty much helpless when they're born and remain so for several years afterward. My mother had to stop working until I was five. In other words, she wasted five years of her life cleaning up spittle and changing diapers. Having a child was a rather foolish decision on her part."

Hiei stared. That was not the response he'd expected. He had only mentioned Shiori because he'd been sure Kurama would yield—his love for that human woman was one thing Hiei never doubted. For him to call her foolish and say she had wasted her time… Kurama couldn't be in his right mind. His fear and hormones were getting the better of him. Unfortunately, if Hiei pointed this out the bastard would just get upset and deny it. Clearing his throat, Hiei decided to change tactics.

"Okay," he said cautiously, "I understand. You don't want to raise cubs. That doesn't mean you can't have sex. You could use…" Hiei frowned, trying to remember the word for the latex, sheath-like things Sonomi had packed in his bag of goodies. "You could use those 'condom' things."

"Few youkai know what they are, let alone how to use them correctly," Kurama said in a petulant voice, raising a hand to his hair and sifting through it in search of seeds.

"But you do," Hiei pointed out. "You could teach—"

"What youkai would bother learning how to use human contraception just to sleep with me?"

"I w…" Gold eyes snapped to him and Hiei quickly changed his wording. "…wouldn't be surprised if there were youkai willing to learn."

"Tch." Kurama returned to his hair, resuming his search. "I would."

"So you would rather suffer through this thing alone?"

"You said that you would stay with me. Or are you going to abandon me?" Kurama asked coldly.

"What? No, I—"

"Just admit it. You're sick of me and want to push me off on someone else."

Hiei stared in shock for a long moment. Kurama's upper lip curled with disgust, clearly taking Hiei's silence as confirmation. But then there was a sharp pull on his hair, and Kurama yelped as Hiei tugged his head back roughly.

"Ouch! Ahh, Hiei!"

"Do _not _put words in my mouth, Kurama," Hiei said, voice a low growl. He tightened his grip on Kurama's hair, not showing the least bit of concern when the youko let out a strangled cry. "I promised that I would protect you, take care of you and provide anything you needed. Do you think I'm the type to break a promise like that? Do you think so little of your guardian—your _friend?_ If that's the case, maybe I should leave. At least the youkai who claims you will thank me for protecting you until he could get to you."

Kurama whimpered faintly, but Hiei stood his ground. He knew that this was a low blow. He knew that Kurama was a proud youko, and that reminding him of his current weakness was hardly fair. But Hiei would be damned if he was going to be insulted. So he glared into his friend's eyes and tightened his grip on that liquid silver hair, hoping this show of dominance would be enough to gain some respect. When Kurama didn't respond, Hiei took it a step further.

"Well, Kurama?" Hiei prompted. "Should I leave?"

Kurama looked away.

"Hiei…" Golden eyes closed as the youko took a shaky breath. "I'm sorry. I… My brain knows that you're only trying to do what's best for me. It's just…my body doesn't care." Kurama looked up at Hiei, eyes confused and pleading. "It hurts so much."

Hiei sighed, loosening his grip on Kurama's hair. That was better—Kurama was treating him with proper respect now. He felt a little bad about losing his temper, especially since Sonomi had warned him that vixens were aggressive prior to mating, and that it was best to yield to them in a confrontation; fighting back rarely ended well. But he didn't care, he was getting the respect he deserved and that's all that mattered to him.

"Just hang on a little longer, Fox," Hiei said, hoping to show his friend that he was benevolent if not submissive. "This will all be over soon."

Kurama stared at him for a long moment. Though his eyes were teary, Hiei had the strange feeling that the youko was measuring him. Then, slowly, Kurama closed his eyes and plucked a seed from his hair.

"Thank you for being so patient with me," Kurama said softly. "I know how hard it must be for you."

Kurama carefully pushed some youki into the seed. A small shoot emerged, tiny reddish leaves uncurling and roots looping themselves around his hand. Hiei sighed, knowing that this moment of clarity wouldn't last long. He watched idly as Kurama's weakened youki nourished the little sprout. Once the plant was grown, Kurama cut its stalk and caught its watery sap in his hand. Hiei jerked and cursed when the sap was spread over the skin around his wound.

"Ouch!" Hiei hissed painfully. "What the hell is that?"

"Youkin-moyakusou."

"'Demon virus-burning herb'?"

"Yes, that's it. It's the best herb there is for preventing infection. Though it's not the most pleasant experience…" Kurama tipped his head downward, peering at Hiei through his lashes—and he was smirking. _Oh Hell, _Hiei thought with dread, recognizing the look Kurama gave to his enemies when he had led them into a trap. "It will hurt much more once it enters the wound. Take care not to swallow your tongue."

"K-Kurama?" Hiei's vision slid so that he was looking at the wicked smiles of two silver youko. He blinked, trying to clear the double away, but then pain struck him like lightning and all he saw was white.

"_Kuramaaa!_" he screamed. "_Y-you bastard! What have you— AHHHH!_"

Heat suddenly seared inside of him, hotter than the black flames he had nearly died trying to tame. And now he was back on the cliffs of Hanging Neck Island, screaming as salt water sprayed on the burnt black flesh of arm. It was too soon, he had tried too fast to master the flames of hell and he was paying for it dearly. He would never be able to use his arm again, never, but he had been too young and arrogant to believe he had limits, and now he was shaking, terrified, weighed down by the presence of a power too great for his body. Too much… Too _much_.

It took a minute for the pain to lessen. By the time Hiei regained his senses, he felt his entire arm throbbing. Blinking dizzily, he flopped his head to the side so he could look down at his shoulder. The flesh around the wound looked red and irritated, but there was no blood—just something clear and shiny sealed into the cut.

Kurama peered at him for a moment, eyes bright with satisfaction. _Damn…it… _Hiei cursed his naiveté. Kurama hadn't been intimidated by his show of dominance at all; he had been feigning sincere distress so that Hiei would let his guard down… The bastard had no sense of honor at all.

Hiei sank down in his chair. _Don't fight back_, he reminded himself. _Just back down. Drop your pride and back down._

"That…wasn't so bad."

The corner of Kurama's mouth twitched up, and Hiei felt his face burn with humiliation. He suddenly thought of the human males who did the bidding of their mates, washed dishes and held purses and all sorts of things that other men would point and laugh at them for doing. _How do they do it? _Hiei wondered angrily. _How can they stand to be so…so emasculated?_

…_It's because their wives show their appreciation afterward._

Hiei frowned, trying to rein in the urge to wrap his hands around Kurama's throat as he watched the youko reach into the medical kit for a bandage. What was he getting out of this? Why did he endure day after day of humiliation when Kurama offered no reward for his efforts? Was it for friendship? Was it because Kurama was a valuable ally? Was there any benefit at all in staying with the fox?

Kurama pressed some batting over Hiei's wound and wrapped the roll around, tight enough to stay in place but loose enough to allow blood flow to the arm.

"All done." Kurama's voice was a purr of pleasure. "You should be able to remove the bandages tomorrow morning."

"Thanks," Hiei muttered. He clenched his eyes shut. _I could leave him. I could leave him here and I would never have to deal with him again. But that would mean losing a good friend, a good ally_… Hiei smiled cynically. _That bastard youko was right after all—I won't take him myself, but I'm too selfish to let someone else have him. _"It's okay if you want to go take your bath now. I'll just be sleeping out here. Wake me up when you're hungry, I'll make you some dinner."

"I can cook for myself."

"I know. But the offer's open if you decide you'd rather have me do it." Hiei felt his mouth twitch with self-contempt. "I'm here to serve you."

For a second there was silence. Hiei felt a sudden wave of anger rolling from Kurama and opened his eyes warily, wondering what he could have done wrong this time. He barely caught the look of deepest frustration on Kurama's face before the fox shook his head.

"Get some sleep," Kurama said. "Don't worry about my dinner, I'll probably be in the bath for a while. There… There's still some of the rabbit left from this morning, if you want it."

Hiei blinked, nonplussed. Flushing, Kurama hurried away and nearly slammed the bathroom door on his own tail. Hiei stared for a minute before shrugging unconcernedly. The fox was acting even stranger than usual, but he'd ask about that later. For now, Hiei leaned back into his chair and readied himself for a hard-earned nap.

* * *

A/N: End part one.

-I will refer to a youko's fox-eared, humanlike form as kitsunemimi. This is a variation of kemonomimi, which means "animal ears" and refers to any humanlike character with animal ears. "Youko" refers to Youko Kurama or any other full-blooded fox demon that appears in this story, and I may refer to the redheaded Kurama as a "fox" (as in a fox of the human world).

-The Japanese anime says that Kurama is a thousand years old, but the Funimation dub says he's somewhere over three hundred. Since Kurama is clearly shown with four tails in the anime and most legends say that a kitsune gains one tail every hundred years, I think the English version makes more sense for once. Let's just assume that when Yomi said they hadn't met in "a thousand years" he meant it figuratively, because otherwise we're going by the other legend, where a new tail is gained every THOUSAND years (Kurama being over three thousand sounds excessive).

-The second lemony-lime chapter will be posted as soon as I've put the finishing touches on it, probably tonight or tomorrow. Please tell me what you think!

_**Read and Review!**_


	2. Guard Pt 2

Guard

by Mayushii

All copyright materials are property of their respective owners.

A/N: Yay, reviews! Thanks to fringeperson and mockingbird13 for your feedback. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far. Now, on to the next chapter! Oh, and I hope no one minds that Kurama is a bit…submissive in this first part. He's supposed to be.

* * *

Part 2

"_Hiei…_"

Someone was calling him. He strained his ears, trying to make out the voice. It sounded nice, melodious, like it could sing him back to sleep…if it weren't trying to wake him up, that is.

Hiei opened his eyes. Darkness hung thick in the air around him, lit only by the glowing embers in the fireplace, and Hiei squinted to see the person before him. It was Kurama—not the icy youko with whom he had spent the past week, but _his_ Kurama. Hiei's eyes moved over that lovely face; that strawberry-colored hair that was always tousled as if he had been running or fighting or making love; that slender, human body with light and shadows playing across its bare form.

"_It's you,_" Hiei sighed, his voice betraying every bit of his relief.

Green eyes shone affectionately. "_It's about time. I was worried you'd never wake up._"

"_Did you need something?_"

"_Yes._" There was a soft, reflective tone to that voice now. "_Yes, there is something I need._"

Kurama leaned in, rubbing his cheek against Hiei's clothed leg like a pet seeking affection from its owner. Hiei felt his face heat up.

"_W-what are you doing?_"

"_Please._" Hiei's breath caught in his throat when Kurama looked up at him again. Those deep green eyes, usually so clear and sharply alert, were clouded by desire. Even as he watched, Kurama parted his lips and moistened them with his tongue. "_Please, I need it. Give it to me…_"

Ending his plea in a low moan, Kurama started to lick and nip at the cloth of Hiei's trousers. The stunned youkai held his breath and clutched the arms of the chair, forcing himself to hold still. This couldn't be happening. This shouldn't be happening… But as much as Hiei tried to reason with himself, his body was not so concerned with the details. Kurama sniffed at the telltale bulge in Hiei's pants, nosed at it, then smiled and closed his mouth around it.

"_Ahh…_" Hiei's hips bucked upward against his will.

Kurama giggled as he pulled back, his eyes simmering with lustful delight. Hiei flushed and inwardly cursed his lack of control. He tried to clamp down on his desire, somehow getting the feeling that Kurama really didn't need any encouragement. For a long second there was silence.

"_Are you scared?_" Kurama reached toward Hiei's belts, his deft fingers easily loosening them. "_Don't be. It's good to act on instincts once in a while._"

"_No,_" Hiei rasped. He moved his hips, trying to keep his belts out of reach, but Kurama was too skilled, too persistent. It took only a few seconds for the fox to open up Hiei's pants and reveal the proof of his maleness. He smiled and began to lick at the warm, damp flesh.

"_Mmh… You taste so good,_" Kurama murmured approvingly. He pulled back and slid one hand down his own body, and Hiei took that brief pause to gather his wits.

"_Kurama,_" Hiei whispered, unable to make himself speak louder because he knew his husky voice would betray him. "_Kurama, stop this._"

"_I can't. Please don't make me._" Kurama buried his face between Hiei's legs, his warm, soft lips pleading with his friend to let him continue. "_Please, I need this. I don't think I can last another day without it…not even another minute… Please?_"

Hiei was torn. He had been repressing his desire for his beautiful, talented companion for as long as he could remember. But now… Oh, _why_ did Kurama have to offer himself? Why, when Hiei had promised to protect Kurama from the very thing he was now begging to be given? Denying Kurama was so much harder than denying himself—he would do anything for Kurama, cut down every youkai within a hundred miles, even stay in this miserable den and endure a week of indignity at the hands of a hysterical youko. How unfair was it for Kurama to be his greatest obstacle in carrying out his duties?

Panting, the air seeming far too thin, Hiei watched helplessly as Kurama moved down to lavish him with much-needed attention. While Kurama continued to please Hiei with his mouth, his hands played with his own body. The sight made Hiei's fingers twitch. Fire youkai were hardly the type to be passive in bed, and even a koorime's blood couldn't change that…

"_Kurama,_" he forced himself to speak again. He bowed his head, ashamed of himself for wanting to reach out for the fox. "_You shouldn't be doing this…not with me._"

"_No? Then who should I be doing this with? Who is more worthy than you?_" Kurama put his hands on the arms of the chair and pushed himself up, his eyes hard and gleaming like emeralds. Hiei gulped slightly and licked his lips as that determined face rose to his own. "_You've protected me all this time. Why shouldn't you enjoy the fruits of your labor?_"

Kurama took Hiei's chin firmly in one hand, tipped his face away and pressed his lips to Hiei's ear.

"_K-Kurama,_" Hiei trembled. "_Kurama, please…_"

"_Stop fighting me. Don't you want to feel good? Of course you do._" Every hair on the back of Hiei's neck stood on end as Kurama whispered suggestions into his ear. "_How do you want it? Do you want to take me from behind? Or maybe push me up against a wall?_" Hiei clutched the arms of his chair, fighting to stay in control of himself, and felt Kurama's lips curve into a smile. "_Oh, but I understand… You're too scared to take what you want._"

Hiei held back a shudder. Kurama was right—he didn't want to do this. He was afraid… He didn't want Kurama to know what sort of fantasies had settled close to his heart. He didn't want Kurama to know how desperately he wanted him. He didn't want to look like a fool in front of the person he admired above all others…

"_Well then,_" Kurama said softly. "_If you won't take me yourself, I'll just have to give myself to you._"

A tender kiss was pressed to Hiei's cheek. Hiei, unable to resist, turned his head and attempted to catch those lips with his own.

"_That's it… You want this just as much as I do,_" Kurama breathed. Hiei swallowed.

"_Yes,_" he admitted hoarsely.

Kurama beamed at him, and despite his misgivings Hiei's chest swelled with pride—finally, he had done something to make his friend smile. Hiei licked his lips, breath turning shallow as Kurama tugged his trousers down lower. He lifted his hips to help, and when his pants were below his knees he spread his legs, giving the fox proper access. Kurama rewarded him by wrapping a hand around his stiff member, pumping slowly while he leaned in to kiss and lick at the very tip. And now Hiei slowly buried his hands in that gorgeous hair, gripping the back of Kurama's head to keep the playful fox's mouth from leaving the place it was most needed.

"_Mm,_" Kurama purred as he licked up a few drops of creamy white seed. "_Are you enjoying this as much as I am?_"

"_U-unghhhh…_" Hiei whimpered, trying to keep from pulling Kurama's hair as his friend teasingly closed his mouth around the engorged flesh. "_Kuh—ahhhh, oh…_"

"_Hmm?_" Kurama pulled back with an innocent look on his face, belied by the semen and saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth. "_Something you wanted to say?_"

Hiei panted, writhing, this image too much for him to bear. "_Stop teasing me, Kurama…_"

"_As you wish._" And Kurama dove forward.

A scream tore itself from Hiei's throat as Kurama went down on him, devouring him like a piece of meat. Sucking and slurping, moaning shamelessly, Kurama desperately tried to draw out more of Hiei's essence as if he couldn't get enough of the taste. Hiei closed his eyes and lost himself in sheer ecstasy. Why had he denied this? What had stopped him? Oh, why hadn't he given in to his desires sooner?

More precum seeped out when Kurama's tongue slipped over just the right place, and the fox used this sensitive spot to his advantage, firmly massaging it with the very tip of his tongue. Hiei let out a small whimper, his hips jerking reflexively. Kurama slowly, oh so slowly, swallowed, the shifting pressure making Hiei shudder. He had to consciously stop himself from pulling too hard on Kurama's hair. It was good, so good—exactly what he had fantasized about for so long…

Cool air hit him. Hiei opened his eyes and prepared to protest, but the words died in his throat when Kurama climbed into his lap. The redhead straddled his legs, his eyes taking on a predatory look that Hiei had only ever seen in a youkai's eyes. And he suddenly realized that he loved that look. He loved seeing his carefully controlled friend give in to these deep, primal urges.

"_I love you,_" Hiei rasped, frightened yet oddly at peace with the revelation. Kurama grinned as if he had known it all along.

"_You'll love this more,_" Kurama promised. Then he was pushing down, sheathing Hiei inside himself, and they both were moaning and arching as they coupled.

"_K-Kura—ma!_" Hiei gasped. He shifted his pelvis a little and groaned at the shockwaves that shot through him with even that slight movement. He reached up and grabbed Kurama's hips, holding on for dear life as his friend, his lover, began to rock gently. "_Nuh— Ah, ahhh!_"

Kurama stared at him, and it sent liquid fire and jelly-like weakness surging through Hiei's whole body. He could see the way those eyes dilated, black pupils spreading like an inkstain over the vibrant green, and how those ink-dark eyes glistened as Kurama's pace quickened. _Yes, _Hiei thought, happy that he had given Kurama what he had needed so badly. Happy that he had stopped denying his own desires. _Yes… _Hiei shuddered, breaths turning ragged, and clenched his eyes shut.

"_Kurama!_"

x x x

It took a few seconds for Hiei to regain his senses. When he did, he could feel the dull throbbing of his wounded shoulder and the sticky mess that coated the inside of his trousers. He slumped against the chair, wanting to cry in bitter denial.

"D-damn it!" he panted breathlessly. Just another dream! But of course it was, Hiei berated himself. He should have known better…

Hiei rose to his feet, cringing as his fluids slowly leaked down his legs. It was a terrible feeling. Once again he had been carried away by his body's base instincts. Once again he had a useless, unwelcome mess to be cleaned up…

_I better wash this off. If Kurama knew what kind of dreams I've been having about him, he'd probably kick me out of the den,_ Hiei thought gloomily. The worst thing was, he didn't even feel satisfied—that hot ache in his body refused to leave, despite the shakiness of his limbs that could only have come from an orgasm. Oh well… Hiei sighed, loosening his belts as he made his way down the hall. He glanced toward the bedroom, praying that Kurama was sound asleep, and eased the door to the bath open.

The dim lampweeds reacted to his presence, blooming and lighting the room with their glowing petals. Hiei glanced around. The bathroom was a fairly large space with a floor made of cobbled stones that were smooth and cool underfoot. One of the walls was taken up by a mirror, which Hiei had found disconcerting the first time he had bathed here—he had stared at his reflection the entire time, thoroughly distracted, as if afraid that it would jump out and attack him if he turned his back on it. The bath itself was a large, round tub, and there was a separate shower in the far corner.

Hiei blinked, seeing some new additions to the room: a washboard and a long rope to which Kurama had pinned an assortment of clothes. Hiei blushed and turned his eyes away from the cloth liners that had been hung up to dry, then frowned at the shower. Getting water on his bandages would make them a breeding ground for bacteria. An infection was the last thing he needed… Hiei turned to the bathtub instead, slightly wary.

Kurama had warned him the day they had settled in the den that he shouldn't use the tub. He had said something about the water getting too hot. But Hiei needed to bathe and he couldn't use the shower without getting his bandages wet. Well… It wasn't like a little hot water would hurt him, right? He had tamed the black flames of hell, after all. A warm bath should be no problem…

Nodding to himself, Hiei crossed the room and turned the taps of the bath. As the tub filled with steaming water, Hiei unbuckled the last of his belts and took off his trousers. He frowned at the sticky white that covered the inside. They would have to be washed, or else they would stain and Kurama would know exactly what kind of dreams Hiei was having. Grabbing the washboard, Hiei took the set of steps up into the tub.

A pleased sigh left Hiei's lips as he sank down into the water. It was _hot_—the perfect temperature for a fire youkai. Hiei gripped the edge of the tub with his hands and pushed up, kicking his feet back and forth and enjoying the way the warmth rushed around him. After the novelty of moving around in the hot water wore off, he set to work washing the stains from his trousers.

As the basic rhythm of washing set in, Hiei let his thoughts wander. Tonight's dream was hardly the only one he'd had about Kurama. He had been having these kinds of dreams for a long time—in fact, Kurama had been the subject of his very first. Now Hiei thought about it and shook his head at his own immaturity. After their fight with Yatsude he had planned to leave and never see the strange, albeit intriguing boy again, but it seemed fate had had other plans.

Hiei sighed faintly, closing his eyes and remembering the fantasy that had first brought him back to Kurama. It had been so simple. In the dream he had been laying in Kurama's bed just as he had a month before, pretending to sleep but secretly watching as the boy treated a gash on his abdomen. When the wound was dressed Kurama had leaned in, laid a hand lightly upon Hiei's thigh, and pressed his warm, moist lips to the skin just below his wound… It had been such a simple thing, yet it had confused and alarmed Hiei enough that he had stalked Kurama for a week afterward. He had been frantic, desperate for an explanation, desperate to know why he had woken from that dream with an aching heat in his body.

When Kurama had decided to confront him (indeed, it seemed the fox had been aware of his pursuer the entire time), Hiei had been too mortified to demand information. Instead he had stared in embarrassed silence until Kurama smiled, tipped his head like a curious puppy, and asked him if there was something he needed. Hiei had run like a coward, and that night he had another dream in which he chased Kurama, tackled him to the ground and…did something, he couldn't remember what, but he knew that it had felt good. And when he had woken up he had been hot, shivering, and quite wet.

The dreams had continued after that, and it was only two years ago that Hiei finally bothered to ask one of Mukuro's doctors what was wrong with him. Once he had learned that the dreams were a symptom of sexual frustration, he decided to act out some of his fantasies. He still couldn't bring himself to approach Kurama, so he made do with whatever females offered their bodies to him (there had been quite a few since he had become Mukuro's second in command). And though his nightly emissions were less frequent now, the dreams themselves still came to him often…

Hiei jolted back to reality when something tickled his calf.

"W-what the—?"

He shook his leg and glanced down, wondering what could have touched him. Was there something in the water? Hiei narrowed his eyes and peered down into the water for a moment, but all he saw was rising steam. Finally dismissing the tickle as his imagination, Hiei set aside his now-clean trousers and took a bottle of bath gel and a washcloth from the shelf on the wall. He poured some of the gel into the cloth and set about cleaning himself.

Much to Hiei's embarrassment, his remembrances had made his body hypersensitive—sensitive enough that when he ran the sudsy cloth over his chest, his belly clenched tight with pleasure. Uncomfortable, Hiei glanced at the mirror. He ran a finger over his chest, fascinated as he watched his reflection. The small but masculine youkai who looked back at him was blushing, red eyes dark-bright, and Hiei's hands moved to his body almost of their own accord. One kept to his chest, lightly stroking his skin, while the other slid down his stomach and wrapped loosely about the thing that had been causing him such trouble.

"Oh," he moaned faintly. He closed his eyes again, moaning louder as he moved his hands. He didn't want to touch himself. He wanted _Kurama _to touch him. He wanted Kurama's hands to stroke his chest, caress his aching member, brush lightly against his legs…

…_Something isn't adding up here._

Frowning, Hiei clenched his eyes shut tighter and tried to ignore the tickling that had returned to his calf. He focused instead on the flood of sensations coursing through him, on his own hands moving with increasing vigor. He imagined Kurama here with him. He imagined it was Kurama's fingers lightly teasing, twisting around his ankles and climbing upward…

Hiei opened his eyes and looked down. Something was moving in the water—two dark blue, tentacle-like somethings that had crept in through a set of holes in the bottom of the tub. Hiei observed, not frightened so much as curious, as they twined about his calves and snaked up his legs.

"What the hell are you?" Hiei wondered aloud.

A third tentacle rose up out of the water, stopped at eye level and seemed to look at him, as if to ask him that very same question. Hiei stared back at it stubbornly, feeling a bit foolish. Soon the tentacle began to secrete what Hiei guessed was some kind of thin sap. It smelled nice, he thought with surprise. It had a light, fruity fragrance that reminded him of a peach or an apricot. He wished he could get closer. The tentacle, obliging, came near enough to poke Hiei in the cheek. His skin tingled pleasantly on contact with the sap, and as he inhaled, he realized he had smelled this scent on Kurama recently…

"Hn?" Hiei's attention snapped back to the tentacles under the water. They had reached the top of his legs and were apparently trying to find another place to go. One was coiling itself about his erection, while the other poked at his backside in search of a way inside.

"Don't even think about it!" Hiei snarled.

The vine—for that was clearly what these things were—skittered back as if it actually understood the warning. Hiei attempted to close his legs to get his point across, but the tentacles were stronger than he expected. Not that it mattered; the vine didn't try to push the issue. Hiei held still for a moment just to make sure, but then the vine in front started moving and he curled in on himself, reduced to strangled, gurgling moans as he clung to the edge of the tub.

"Oh—_ohhh!_" It felt _good._ Moving up and down, squeezing and then loosening, stroking just the right way… Hiei panted for breath, the steamy air not giving him nearly enough oxygen. Tears pearled in his eyes and hit the stone floor with little clatters. Hiei tried to control his breathing, but it was so hard… _He_ was so hard…

The vine that had poked his cheek before was back again. Hiei took in a gasping breath and turned his head, allowing the vine to shove deep inside his mouth. He caught sight of his reflection again and blushed. Was that what he looked like? A flushed, sweaty, trembling mess of a youkai, so desperate that he was willing to let a plant have its way with him?

_But… But it feels so good. _Hiei closed his eyes, trying to forget about his reflection in the mirror. He opened his mouth wider, eagerly drinking the apricot-flavored sap that filled his mouth. He imagined that he was kissing Kurama, tasting his sweetness, sucking and lightly nipping and enjoying himself as Kurama did the same to him. He flushed darkly as the wayward vine that had shied from his backside before returned. It teasingly rubbed up and down the cleft between his buttocks, and now he couldn't bring himself to resist it.

"Mnh! Nhh!" Hiei thrashed, feeling his muscles clenching, his blood rushing, the heat inside of him abruptly reaching its peak. "_NGHHH—!_"

Hiei's head spun as he thrust forward instinctively, his seed spurting out into the water. The vines clenched and stroked down his length, as if trying to milk him, and Hiei let out a deep groan in the back of his throat. When he was spent, he barely managed to catch hold of the edge of the tub with his hands.

_That… That was… Oh yes… _Hiei thought, rather incoherent. He was panting, trying to keep himself from sinking. He glanced down when he felt the vines loosening around him. They were pulsing with a greenish black light that matched Hiei's own youki. _They're taking in my __youki__, _he realized. _So that's what they are—plants that feed on sexually-charged ki._

_And Kurama's been bathing with them._

Hiei let go of the edge of the tub, swaying and laughing. That damn youko! Was this the real reason Kurama hadn't wanted him using the bath? He didn't want Hiei to know that he was using these vines to satisfy himself? Meanwhile, Hiei was left with nothing but lonely fantasies and his own hands if he was desperate enough. He wasn't sure if he was genuinely amused or just terribly bitter. _Kurama, you selfish bastard. You refuse to let any _youkai_ touch you, but you'll go wild with some mutant seaweed?_

He lay against the side of the tub for a while, catching his breath and trying to hold onto the afterglow of orgasm even as anger and bitter depression washed through him. Kurama would really rather be fucked by plants than let a youkai make love to him… Hiei shook his head, clearing away those thoughts, and quickly washed himself off. He unplugged the tub and watched the water drain away.

_I wonder if I should tell Kurama that his plants just raped me, _Hiei thought absently as he climbed out of the tub. He grabbed a towel and rubbed himself dry, his body feeling a bit less heavy than it had this past week. There were some advantages to the situation, he supposed. He had finally released some of his tension, he knew now that Kurama was just as frustrated and needy as him… And he could imagine that egotistical youko in the same position he had just been in—_a flushed, sweaty, trembling mess._

Hiei smiled darkly at that last thought, picking up his soaked trousers. He raised his youki a bit and ran his hands over his pants, effectively ironing them. Once they were dry and mostly cooled down again, he slipped them back on and fastened his belts loosely. He collected the dark blue-black jewels he had cried and shoved them in his pocket, and then he left the bathroom.

As he passed the door to the bedroom, Hiei thought he heard a whimper. He paused. Kurama had told him that he was absolutely forbidden from the bedroom, but… Frankly, Hiei wasn't feeling very obedient. Besides, Kurama might be hurt…or something…

With a vengeful smile, knowing perfectly well that he just wanted to get back at Kurama for being so damn selfish, Hiei went to the bedroom door. He pushed it open a crack and peered inside.

The room beyond was beautiful. The lampweeds were dim, of course, but the little glow they did radiate reflected off nearly everything—from the piles of horded treasure pushed up against the walls to the silver tracings in the ebony bed frame. But Kurama outshone everything else in the room, with his silver hair gleaming and his skin pale and bright. He lay sleeping on top of a set of messy white sheets, his naked body curled in a fetal position.

"Nhh," Kurama whimpered. His brow furrowed with what looked like pain. "Nnn…"

Hiei blinked, the expression on his face changing as he watched the youko try to wipe a trickle of sweat from his face. True, this wasn't his sweet, approachable human form, but… That smooth skin, glittering with tiny beads of moisture… That long hair, strands of liquid silver slightly mussed from tossing and turning… That feverish blush, tainting his normally pale cheeks a deep crimson… Hiei couldn't help but soften.

_What are you doing to yourself, Kurama? _Hiei longed to ask his friend. _Why are you letting fear and pride keep you from something that's in your nature?_

Kurama whimpered again, squirming in discomfort. His hand moved down and shoved firmly between his legs, and then Kurama's expression wavered—his brows twitched and his face slackened in something resembling peace.

"Mm…good," the youko murmured. Hiei took a step back. He pulled the door closed as quietly as he could and backed away, taking a deep, calming breath.

…_I think I need another bath._

* * *

A/N: Well, that's it for this chapter! I don't know if it's that well written, but if nothing else, you get to have some nice juicy lemon.

1- Sorry if Hiei and Kurama were completely out of character in the dream… But dreams aren't reality anyway, right?

2- Forgot to put TentaclexHiei in the warnings. Ah well. HieixKurama is still the main pairing. …_Or is it?_

**Read and Review!**


	3. Guard Pt 3

Guard

by Mayushii

All copyright materials are property of their respective owners.

A/N: Long time no see, huh? Sorry about that. Lots of other stories were pestering me. In any case, I'm glad everyone liked the previous chapter. Thanks go out to **shiorifoxiesmom**, **fringeperson**, **Kurama no Miko2003**, **SanguineFox**, **KyoHana**, **Dragon77**, **Chaseha-Wing**, **CatOfTha'Dune88**, **Anonymous Reader**, **Yuki**, **If The Bunny Was Dead**, **DarkAnubisAngel**, **The Fire In Your Skin**, **lesfriendly**, **Kazuya Arsashi008**, **DarkDragonDreamer**, **DolceNeko**, and **femme Kitsune **for your feedback. Phew, what a list!

* * *

Part 3

Hiei woke feeling better than he had in a long time.

He yawned, stretching out his arms and legs. Last night had done Hiei a world of good. It had taken nearly two hours, but with the help of that ever-so-useful plant he had managed to excise all the stress he'd been under in the past week. The time he had spent in the bath had left him with chafed skin and aching muscles, yet these things gave him a sense of pride not unlike battle scars. In any case, being a little sore now was a small price to pay.

Ending his stretch with a sigh, Hiei sank bonelessly into his chair. He spent a few minutes basking in pleasure. He could certainly see why Kurama had resorted to the plant—it was far more practical than a lover—but if Kurama was using the plant as often as Hiei suspected, it was a bit of a mystery why he wasn't in a constant state of euphoria.

Eventually, Hiei felt pangs in his stomach and decided he should start making breakfast. All that…exercise…had left him hungry, and besides, Kurama would be waking up soon and would need tea for his cramps. No sense in making him wait. Hiei left his chair and rose to his feet, giving his youki a leisurely flex as he did so. Flames burst into life in the fireplace, and Hiei nodded his approval before crossing the room and opening up the pantry.

As predicted, a door soon opened and shut quietly. By this point Hiei was crouched in front of the fire, a tray spread out beside him and a pot of water heating over the crackling flames. Barely audible footsteps crept down the hall, paused, and cautiously resumed. Hiei heard the footsteps come closer and caught the fruity fragrance in the air behind him.

"Good morning," Kurama said tentatively.

Hiei didn't say a word. He didn't even look at Kurama. He knew he would reveal too much—that his voice would be too soft and warm, that his eyes would look at Kurama too fondly.

There was a long stretch of silence as they stared at the flickering flames. Hiei was poking some glowing embers around with his fingers, and Kurama was smoothing his hands over his silvery hair. Neither noticed how the other was fidgeting.

"How is your shoulder?" Kurama tried again, a little more direct.

Hiei raised his hand to the area in question.

"Fine. Better than it was, at least," Hiei said. "You said we could remove the bandages today, didn't you?"

Kurama nodded and reached up to undo the wrappings. While the youko was absorbed in this task, Hiei managed to sneak a glance at him. Kurama's fever seemed to have gone down, but there was a subtle tint of color to his cheeks and mouth. And the scent of that plant's sap was definitely encouraging… Hiei remembered the peachy apricot taste and licked his lips. He was sure he would taste it again, if he just leaned in and caught those tempting lips with his own…

"It does look better," Kurama said, too focused on the wound to see the look on his guard's face. "You should be fine as long as you don't move around too much."

"Guess you were right about that youkin plant after all," Hiei said casually. Kurama flinched at the reminder.

"Hiei… I'm so, so sorry. For _everything—_for saying those things about you, for taking advantage of your trust, for hurting you. For how I've been acting. I've been completely out of control." Kurama clenched his hands into fists over his lap, now glaring at the floor beside him as if it were the one at fault. "Believe me, I don't want to act like—"

"Like a bitch in heat?" Hiei supplied. Kurama's face flushed. "You do realize that's exactly what you are, right?"

"That's no excuse!"

"How is that not an excuse?"

Kurama frowned resentfully at the floor.

"I'm…supposed to be better than that," he muttered.

"Yes, well, I'm sure everyone thinks they're better than that," Hiei said, well aware of the irony of his statement. "Then they find out that like it or not, they _do _have hormones."

"But I should have more control over myself. I shouldn't be letting every little thing get to me. I know better, I really do, but I can't stop myself. It's ridiculous." Kurama sighed. "What I did to you with the youkin plant was…rash. I could have used another plant, but I was so angry with you and I—" Kurama closed his eyes and shook his head. "I shouldn't have done it."

"You're right, you shouldn't have. You're lucky it was me and not someone else, or you'd probably be dead now," Hiei said bluntly. He paused for a moment to let that sink in. It was true, after all. Provoking a strong youkai was the stupidest thing Kurama could do in his condition, and Hiei didn't want him repeating the mistake. "That said… It wasn't only your fault. I was trying to push you, it's only natural that you'd push back. So let's just call it even and put it behind us."

Kurama stared at him, looking taken aback. Hiei quirked an eyebrow and Kurama smiled.

"I never expected to hear something like that from you," he said lightly. "You sounded very mature."

Hiei snorted and rolled his eyes. "Hn."

The youko broke into laughter, and the sound rolled over Hiei as surely as the waves of hot water had last night. He wanted to stay here, let Kurama's laughter pour over him and warm him to his bones in a way he had never felt before. This was the way it should be between them—no tension, no angry outbursts and power plays. Everything was right again. Perhaps more right than it ever had been, Hiei realized with surprise. Had he felt this comfortable with Kurama before?

The lid of the pot started to rattle around, and Hiei reached forward to retrieve it with his bare hands. Kurama quickly looked down at the breakfast tray sitting nearby, picked up the teacup and held it out. Hiei ladled in some water over the bag of raspberry leaves.

"Thank you," Kurama murmured.

"Pass me the plate," Hiei said, nodding at the plate on the tray.

Kurama set his cup down again so the tea could steep and gave Hiei the plate of cold rabbit and root vegetables. While Hiei used a knife to push the plate's contents into the pot, Kurama's tail batted peaceably against the floor.

"You know, I'm not sure I even need the tea anymore," Kurama spoke up in a conversational way. "I'm feeling well today."

Hiei almost dropped the knife and plate into the pot.

"I…I see," Hiei rasped, his mouth suddenly dry. "Good. That's good…"

Kurama smiled a little and Hiei felt heat creeping up his neck. He hastily looked away from the youko, instead devoting his attention to stirring curry into the pot. He did his best to focus on making breakfast, but he couldn't keep his mind from wandering to what Sonomi had said. '_Kurama's cramps should ease up around the same time she starts running clear, and then she'll be in a much better mood. In fact, you probably won't be able to keep her off you…'_

"Hiei?"

The fire youkai jerked and glanced at the pot to make sure he hadn't let it boil over. Seeing that everything was under control, he sent a confused look at his partner. Kurama tucked his chin down the way he always did when he was trying to look cute enough to ask for something.

"I was wondering," Kurama said with a shy tone in his voice, "if you would mind if I went outside with you today." Hiei's face darkened, and Kurama quickly elaborated. "I know it's dangerous for me to go out in my condition, but I'm sure it would be safe if I stayed with you."

"I don't think so."

"But you didn't even consider—"

"What's there to consider? Kurama, even hidden away in here, your scent has got every youko within a hundred miles after your tail. Imagine how many more would come if you went outside. It would be like inviting them right into the den."

"I understand that," Kurama said, his coyness giving way to a hint of his true desperation, "but I haven't left all week. You know foxes don't do well in captivity, and that's exactly what this feels like."

A frown tugged at Hiei's lips. He knew there was truth to Kurama's words. Kurama, like most youkai, hated being chained down. It was sheer survival instinct. Still, when they both had been relatively rational, they had agreed that confining Kurama to the den was the best course of action. It was the only way to keep him safe. They had put up with it for the past week because they knew it was the safest option, and it would all be wasted if Kurama left and got himself caught now.

"Can't you wait a few more days?" Hiei said finally.

"But I need it _now_."

"I said no."

"Just for an hour?"

Hiei turned to glare at Kurama, but when he saw his friend's face he couldn't help but flinch. Kurama was giving him _that _look: longing, pleading, like he would waste away if Hiei didn't give him what he wanted. The little youkai scowled and turned back to the fire. He was susceptible enough to Kurama's influence without that look.

"Please, Hiei," Kurama said again, the rawness of his voice making Hiei's stomach twist. "_Please._"

…Damn it.

"One hour," Hiei said, sounding much weaker than he'd expected. He felt like a pushover. When Kurama's face broke into a grateful smile, he felt even worse for taking pleasure in Kurama's happiness. He coughed and said in a firm voice, "You're coming right back here after that, and I want you in my sight at all times."

"That's fine," Kurama agreed. He sat quietly after that, his tail thumping happily beside him as he watched Hiei prepare their breakfast.

They took their time eating. Kurama came back for seconds—he seemed to have a healthy appetite this morning—and he praised Hiei's cooking so highly it was almost indecent. Once they had finished their meal, Hiei put on his cloak and went outside to check if it was safe. The heavy snow that had accompanied yesterday's battle had stopped; only a few lonely snowflakes drifted down from the trees. Hiei didn't see any tracks in the snow other than his own. Frowning, he did a quick sweep of the area with his Jagan and sensed nothing but harmless animals.

_Strange… There should be at least a few youkai lurking around…_ Red eyes stared suspiciously out at the white and black landscape. Something about this put him on edge.

"Weren't you supposed to stay inside until the coast was clear?" Hiei said when he sensed the shift of Kurama's delicate energy behind him. The last of the raspberry brambles bent out of the way, curving to form an easy path for their master.

"Do you see anyone?" Kurama asked.

"…No," Hiei grudgingly admitted. "But there could have been."

"Perhaps you scared them all away," Kurama suggested brightly.

Possible, but not probable. Hiei turned to his partner and opened his mouth, but one look at Kurama made him forget what he was going to say. He was too distracted by Kurama's eagerly flushed cheeks and shining, slightly dilated eyes.

_Damn it! _Hiei cursed himself, frustratedly looking away. _What is wrong with me? Am I going to cave every time he so much as bats an eye at me? _He tried to hold onto this feeling, to stay tense and fortify himself with anger, but it soon gave way to the heavy sigh and slumped shoulders of resignation.

Who was he kidding? He had always been easy prey. He would give anything for the people he loved—it was hardwired into his system as surely as his attraction to the color red—and no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, he couldn't resist. Kurama knew it and manipulated him to no end, sometimes just for fun; Yusuke took advantage of him whenever he needed it; he was putty in Yukina's hands, too, though she was too kind to use him the way Kurama and Yusuke did. So many people knew his inner weakness, it scared him.

"Hiei, we're not going to stand here the whole time, are we?" Kurama asked.

Hiei shoved his hands in his pockets. "Go where you like. I'll follow you."

Kurama's tail flicked—no. It _wagged_.

"Try to keep up," Kurama smirked, eyes glittering. Then that tail very deliberately swatted Hiei in the face, and Kurama was off in a flurry of white robes and silver hair.

Hiei wiped a hand over his face to remove a few strands of fur.

_Someone's feeling playful_, Hiei thought, darting after Kurama. He didn't really understand why the youko wanted to race with him. Kurama knew perfectly well that Hiei was faster than him, so what was the point in running at all?

But then, Kurama had said many times that the journey was more important than the destination. Perhaps Hiei was too focused on the end result to appreciate what it took to get there. Hiei decided to slow down, just enough that he didn't immediately catch Kurama, and tried to enjoy the chase the way Kurama obviously did. There was no need to rush, anyway: Hiei didn't even know what he'd do with Kurama once he caught him. It wasn't like he would exact any real revenge for Kurama's playful tricks. So Hiei let the youko lead him, zigzagging through the forest, Kurama running across the snowy ground and Hiei flickering between tree branches above him.

Once in a while Hiei left the trees and took to the ground so he could talk to the fox.

"You know you can't run forever," Hiei called as he ran alongside Kurama. He was so close he could reach out and touch him, and they both knew it. They could have ended this chase a long time ago, but Hiei was starting to understand why it was so fun for Kurama and wasn't entirely sure he wanted to stop.

"I'll run as long as you chase," Kurama answered, "and I'll stop as soon as you catch me."

"Back to stating the obvious, are you?" Hiei scoffed.

"You'd be surprised how often the obvious eludes us."

And so their conversation went. As he followed the swirls of silver and white, Hiei had the feeling that he really should end this soon—because it was starting to feel like there was something more important that would come when he did. Objectively speaking this was just a game of tag, but somehow it felt…preparatory. Like it was a prelude to something else. Hiei felt his pulse speeding up as it truly dawned on him that he was not simply running, but _chasing_. And more and more he wondered, just what would happen when he caught his prey?

Hiei let Kurama run for a while longer, as long as it took for him to gather his courage. The pursuit was familiar and what lay beyond was a mystery, but he wanted to face it. By the time Hiei leapt down from his branch and tackled his friend to the ground (hadn't he dreamed about this once?), he was flushed and panting. But he was ready for whatever might happen.

"Got you," Hiei rumbled low in his throat.

Kurama's body shook beneath him. Hiei blinked uncertainly, not sure what this meant. He set his hands on the ground so he could push himself up and give Kurama some room to move. The fox buried his fingers in the ground, digging into the snow beneath him, and let out a tiny whimpering growl.

"Kurama?"

The growl turned into a moan, and Hiei found Kurama's body moving under him, pushing up against him, onto hands and knees. Hiei carefully slid off Kurama's back and stared at him. He recognized the position they had just been in and he wondered if Kurama had done it on purpose. He watched that beautiful, trembling body and felt something in his own body tighten with anticipation. He wasn't imagining it; this was really happening between them, finally, _finally_…

"Hiei…"

When Kurama turned his head to look at Hiei, his face was flushed and his eyes shining. The youko looked like Hiei's reflection in the mirror had last night. Eager, wanting, ready.

"Hiei," Kurama said again, his voice reverberating through the little youkai's whole body.

Caught up in the moment, in that seductive voice and those molten gold eyes, Hiei might have done exactly what they both wanted him to do. He might have leapt forward, tackled that beautiful and infuriating youko to the ground a second time, and acted on every single desire that had crossed his mind since that first sticky wet dream so long ago. He might have given up, given in, given it all to Kurama then and there—regardless of what he and Kurama had agreed upon when they both had been rational enough to think things through.

But this was not to be. At that very moment, fate crashed in on the two youkai in the form of a large swordhilt. The blow to the back of his head knocked Hiei unconscious almost instantly, so he didn't have the chance to make his second mistake of the day.

The first, of course, had been letting Kurama out of the den.

* * *

_End Part 3 of "Guard"_

_A/N: So, there we go. I hope this chapter was okay, even if I cut it off before any of the good stuff could happen. Sorry, but I promise there will be at least one real HieixKurama lemon before the story ends (along with lots of other citrus along the way). Hang in there!_

_-I kind of hate myself for using the old 'romantic pursuits as a chase' metaphor, but I was listening to "Wild Wind" and couldn't get the image out of my head. So, crappy metaphors it is._

_-Why is Hiei attracted to the color red? Well, the spirit of Mt. Hiei is said to favor the color red, which symbolizes life, fertility, and protection from sickness. He is also the patron of childbirth and associated with the number three. I think it's pretty reasonable to say that Hiei would favor red since most of the other lore applies. …And it just happens to back up my theory that Hiei has a thing for redheads. :P_

_**Please leave a review!**  
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